Mop or brush



R. E. WILLIS MOP OR BRUSH Filed April 17 1922 Patented Apre 15, 1924a UNITED STATES RALPH E. WILLIS, 0F FEDERALSBURG,

HARRY N. HACKETT, 0F F MARYLAND, AssIGNon or ONE-HALF 're' EDERALSBURG, MARY AND'. N

MOP 0R BRUSH.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,500.

To all whom t mary concern:

e it known that I, RALPH E. WILLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Federalsburg, in the county of Caroline and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mops orA Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and -useful improvements in household cleaning implements, such as mops and brushes which are used almost universally for the cleaning of floors, walls and like surfaces.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character which embodies novel means for connecting the handle to the mop or brush element, whereby the handle can be swung freely into a esired angular position, with respect to the mop or Ibrush element, and pressure applied to the mop or brush element through the handle will be effectively applied throughout the entire area of the said mo or brush element.

IPurther objects of the invention are to provide a handle connection for mops and brushes which enables the mop or brush'element to be quickly detached from the handle or applied thereto, so that an interchange of cleaning elements is possible with the same handle, and which enables the handle to swing into different angular positions with respect to the floor cleaning element, so that the mop or brush element can be moved back and forth across a floor or entire surface and maintained in a flat engagement therewith while the operator stands still and the handle swings back and forth.

With the above and other objects in view,`

the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims. For a full understanding of the inven tion reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a vided with a brush and handle connection which is constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View through a plan view of a mop pre' floor cleaning brush which is also provided With a brush and handle connection.

constructed in accordance with they invention, the handle being shown in one osition vby full lines and in another position by dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a detail view -of the metal plate or tip which is applied'to the lower end of the handle.

Figure 4 isa fragmentary detail view of the contiguous ends of the frame member for the cleaningdevice.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all of the views of the dra-W- ings by like reference characters. y.

The invention resides essentially in a novel means for connecting a'handle to a household cleaning device such as a mop or brush.

In Figure 1 the invention is shown as embodied in a mop, invention is shown as embodied in a fioor cleaning brush. In both of these figures the reference character l designates a frame member of twisted wire which carries the floor cleaning elements. In Figure 1 the fibre strands A of which the mop is composed are secured toV and carried by the twisted wire frame -1, while in Figure 2 the bristles B from# which the brush is formed are carried by the twisted wire frame 1. This general manner of constructing a mop or brush is well and no claim to novelty is based thereon.

In carrying out the invention the wire frame l is bent into the form of a loop and the two extremities 1a thereof are-bent inwardly to provide a reentrant portion. The 4extremities of these reentrant arms 1a arebent' sharply at substantially right angles to provide opposed fingers 2 which are adapted to be received within a sleeve 3 upon a plate 4 which is fitted in a kerf 5 in the endof a handle 6. The inherent resiliency of the looped frame 1 normally holds the pivot fingers 2 in posit-ion within the sleeve 3, although it will be obvious that they can be readily disengaged therefrom by flexing the frame and spreading the pivot fingers apart.

The plate 4 fits snugly Within the kerf 5 in the end of the handle 6, and is secured in position by a suitable fastening element, such as a screw while in Figure 2 the 7 which extends transversely known in the art,

K me

' of thehandle and passes through an opening in the plate. The rear end of the plate is provided at Opposite sides thereof with the rearwardly extending teeth 8, which embed themselves in the material of the handle and tend to prevent rotation of the plate about the screw 7 as a pivot center. The portion of the plate which fits within the handle has the same width as the liandle and is flush with the sides thereof, while the projecting end of the plate which is provided with the sleeve 3 is preferably flared to a slight extent, as indicated on the drawing. A strong and rigid construction is thus obtained, although the parts are very simple and inexpensive. p

As has been previously indicated, a floor cleaning element such as a mop or brush, and constructed with a resilient wire frame such aS that indicated at l can be readily applied to the handle by liexing the frame to spread the pivot members 2 a sufficient amount, so that they can be inserted in the sleeve 3. A number of dierent t pes of floor cleaning elements can be use interchangeably with the same handle, and a worn or dirty brush or m p can be readily removed or replaced. Owing to the provision of the frame with the reentrant arms lil the pressure of the handle on the brush or mop member is applied at a point within the general periphery or outline of the frame, so that the mop or brush element will remain llat upon the floor and the pressure will be distributed throughoutthe entire area thereof. This feature enables the handle member to be pivotally connected to the frame and arranged to be tilted into different angular positions with relation thereto. Ordinarily the handle is rigidly connected .to the frame at a oint substantially in the periphery thereof and with this construction the handle must move back and forth in a osition parallel to itself as the floor cleaning element is drawn back and forth across the floor. With the present construction this is not necessary` and the handle can be swung back and forth between two positions such as those indicated by Figure 2 as the mop or brush is moved back and forth across the floor. Furthermore, the handle member can be swung downwardly into substantially the plane of the mop or brush when this is necessary for the purpose of getting under a radiator, book-case, or into any other place of a like nature. This is not possible with a, mo in which the handle is rigidly connec-te to the mop element and extends upwardly therefrom at the usual angle. The entire construction is very simple and inexpensive, although a device is obtained which operation will eliminate the necessity of tageous feature lies in is strong and durable` and has many points of advantage over the ordinary mops an brushes which are now in common use for household cleaning purposes.

One of these points of advantage may be mentioned in conclusion that the free swinging connection permits the brush to be rotated about its pivot to completely reverse the surface which is utilized. Since this does not require the displacement of the brush from the handle it 'is obvio-us that in the use of thearticle,

either with a mop or brush attachment one'` side of the brush may be employed to take up the greater part of the dirt for example, whereupon the brush may be quickly reversed so that the other side may be used to complete the cleaningI operation. This is particularly desirable in using as a wall brush.-

In the use of the mop attachment, spch quent shaking for cleaning purposes. The swinging movement of the mop or brush attachment is limited by contact of the outer side with the handle and this coaction may beutilized where it is desired to exert any considerable pressure u on the attachment through the handle. ne further advanthe fact that the handle connection is always within the bounds of the attachment so that there is no likelihood whatever of marring the furniture in the use of the article by accidental Contact with the handle.

I-Iaving thus described my invention `what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, i

1. A deviceof the character described comprising a handle provided with transverse bearing, a cleaning element formed with a resilient looped frame having opposed supporting pivot fingers at the ends of the frame mounted in said bearing for free pivotal movement, the resiliency of' the frame enabling the flexing of the fingers into or out of their pivotal engagement with the bearing and their retention therein.

2. A device of the character described comprising a handle member, a plate carried therebyiand formed at one edge with a bearing sleeve, and a cleaning element having opposite contact faces mounted upon a resilient looped frame formed with reentrant arms terminating in opposed supporting pivot fingers entering said bearing sleeve and retained therein by the resiliency of said frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RALPH E. WILLIS.

to reside in the fact Y the brushl 

